This is how to install it from within windows xp:

Install the Recovery Console to your hard drive and add it to the boot menu by inserting you XP CD, click Start, Run and typing X:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons and click OK (replace X: with CD drive letter). Follow the instruction, pressing [Esc] to skip the updated files part of the process.

it changes the boot.ini file as well to start windows up in 30 seconds. If its possible could it be changed to 3?

Just to make this harder I want to be able to choose what drive/partition this is installed to.

to use the set command in windows xp reovery console so that you can gain access to all the drives removeable too, wild card usage and no copy comfirmation you need to add this reg hack but im not sure where to put it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole]
"SetCommand"=dword:00000001
"SecurityLevel"=dword:00000000

Edited October 1, 200322 yr by gareththegod

Just found this. Could I make a winnt batch file (winnt.bat)

@rem SetupMgrTag
@echo off

set AnswerFile=.\winnt.sif
set SetupFiles=.\i386

.\i386\winnt /s:%SetupFiles% /unattend:%AnswerFile% /makelocalsource /cmdcons

but after reading the help file I don't think that the /cmdcons can be done until the [GUIRUNONCE] part but I would have to copy the i386 folder to the systemdrive first to enable it to run.

then it should look like this

@rem SetupMgrTag
@echo off

set AnswerFile=.\winnt.sif
set SetupFiles=.\i386

.\i386\winnt32 /s:%SetupFiles% /unattend:%AnswerFile% /makelocalsource

winnt.sif

[GUIRUNONCE]
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\i386\winnt32 /cmdcons

well i will need to test this.

Edited October 6, 200322 yr by gareththegod

It should be winnt32.exe /cmdcons /dudisable, i believe. MS has an article called "how to install recovery console", and at the bottom it gives that command.

To change the timeout, use the command bootcfg.exe. This command is only installed on XP Pro (don't ask me why). Just type bootcfg /?. I used this command to specify the kernel on an unattended install (/kernel=)

And you HAVE to install recovery console via Guirunonce, it just won't work in cmdlines.txt.

If youre installing win2k you could also use rconsole.exe. rconsole.exe was the redistributed package for recovery console, but it's very hard to find. I've used it once.

-gosh

rconsole is on the win2k resource kit

btw: WINNT32.EXE /cmdcons /unattend works perfect on win2k..

That's what i meant:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...4&Product=winxp

Installing Recovery Console During an Unattended Install

In order to install the Recovery Console during the unattended installation of Windows, it is necessary to use the [GuiRunOnce] section of the unattend.txt file.

Command1="path\winnt32 /cmdcons /unattend"

For more information about how to use the Unattend.txt file, see the Deployment Planning Guide of the Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit.

-gosh

is there a way to get a windows xp cd to install itself using a winnt.bat file without using a floppy drive just using it from a cd. As this is the only problem i have then i will have a nice cd.

Do you know if it needs to go in the root ob the cd?

And you HAVE to install recovery console via Guirunonce, it just won't work in cmdlines.txt.

That's not true ! I'm using a batch-file in cmdlines.txt to run the following line:

start /b /wait %SETUPDRV%i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons /dudisable /unattend

whereas %SETUPDRV% represents the CD setup drive. And it works fine ! Besides - the M$ article doesn't say it's not possible to run it from cmdlines.txt ...

Using cmdlines to install recovery console won't work. If it did, ms would recommend using it. I've seen cases where recovery console has problems if installed via cmdlines.

-gosh

Using cmdlines to install recovery console won't work.  If it did, ms would recommend using it.  I've seen cases where recovery console has problems if installed via cmdlines.

Well it does work perfectly for me. And I can't see any reason why it shouldn't work - the recovery console doesn't need any user specific data.

Not everything M$ recommends is good and not everything M$ does not recommend is bad ...

I wish i could give you a better reason. All i remember from previous research is it didn't work for good reasons. I also know that the reason that article doesn't recommend cmdlines is because cmdlines doesn't work, the article intentionally didn't mention it.

-gosh

Perhaps if you knew what the hell you were talking about you COULD give a reason. Once again, you're spreading untruths. Please do your research before posting such (false) claims. It does not help any of us.

If i could give a more specific reason i would, but im not lieing. Why don't you go make a batch file or something green machine, make yourself useful.

-gosh

I would certainly not accuse you of lying. You were simply misinformed, and spreading your mis-information. Is that useful? If you do not know what you are talking about, please, for the sake of all of us, have the decency to refrain from posting your ignorance. You claim in no uncertain terms that something cannot be done, even after a fellow member has said that he did it. What's the point? Is DPR lying? Do you honestly find such behaiviour constructive?

I don't have a great knowledge in recovery console

but afaik there are listed commands you can apply in there

type HELP in recovery console to get the commands that could be used.

or are u guys talking about something else

ya are spot on DPR. the command does work perfect, good job mate